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You should never leave a dog in a hot car. It’s dangerous and there’s always the risk of someone breaking your window to rescue your furry friend. But there are features like Tesla Dog Mode that will keep your dog comfortable while you run into a store. That is if it works, at least. 

Tesla Dog Mode is failing in some models

You’re not alone if you want to take your dog everywhere, even on errands to the store. I want to take my beagle, Bruce, all over. I’m not a dogist, other pets like cats, bunnies, horses, etc, are also good companions.

But I’m often worried about leaving him in my Jeep due to the weather and ‘good’ samaritans that could take it upon themselves to smash the windows and take him. 

That’s why Tesla Dog Mode is an epic solution. It activates the climate control system and keeps the vehicle at a certain temperature after the driver exits. It locks the windows and doors too, so your pets can’t accidentally open anything. 

Best of all, the screen provides a message letting bystandards know that your best friend is in a temperature-controlled car. There’s no need to leave a written note on your window. 

However, the latest Tesla update known as 2024.20.1 is making things ruff. It provides hot weather improvements to cool down cars faster but could be causing Dog Mode to malfunction. 

A dog with a temperature controlled cabin via Tesla Dog Mode
Tesla Dog Mode | Tesla

With the feature enabled, you may receive a notification if the cabin gets too hot, but there’s no way to correct the issue unless you walk back to your car. 

According to one Tesla owner, their support ticket related to the issue explained that this failure is a known characteristic of current firmware and would be addressed in the future. Then the service team asked the driver to please refrain from using Dog Mode for the time being. 

Another owner saw the temperature of their cabin fluctuate by six degrees away from the set temperature. 

So, until a Tesla Dog Mode fix is officially released, use caution. It’s best to not leave your dog or other pets in your car right now. If you decide to take the risk, keep a close eye on your car’s temperature with the Tesla app. 

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Allison Barfield

Allison Barfield joined MotorBiscuit in 2020 and covers all things trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. Having grown up on a farm in Rock Hill, South Carolina, she’s no stranger to the “Best in Class” truck and SUV debates; people in her hometown were always gathering to help work on vehicles together, and deliberation would naturally arise.

Allison graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Media Arts. She has helped bring awareness to issues Women In Trucking face and has promoted Truckers Against Trafficking, an anti-trafficking NGO.

A fan of creatively dark literature, Allison appreciates the works of Shirley Jackson and Emily Dickenson. She lives in a mountainous area of the country and enjoys off-roading and camping. Her dog, Bruce, often joins her in testing trucks and SUVs for our site.